


Let Love In

by yodepalma



Series: One-Shots I Wish I Could Continue [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Abrupt Ending, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Axel and Roxas Write Fanfic, Axel in Glasses, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, I was going to continue this, Long One-Shot, M/M, Mentions of Characters Not in Tags, Not Beta Read, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Pharmacy Technicians, Please Steal the Fanfic Ideas, Romance, Wordcount: Over 10.000, but they're not cooperating, the internet is for porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2015-05-17
Packaged: 2018-03-31 01:36:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3959533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yodepalma/pseuds/yodepalma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He could feel Axel's eyes on him and, not really wanting to waste the man's money, decided to brave a sip of it. "It's good," he said appreciatively, bringing it in for another sip. "What's it called?"</p>
<p>"Redheaded Slut Mojito," Axel supplied in a deadpan voice, and Roxas quite nearly spit out the drink. As it was, he just barely managed to swallow it with a wince. When he finally recovered and turned to the man with barely-concealed surprise, he found that he was being smoldered at again and, man, this had been a terrible idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Love In

**Author's Note:**

> So all 10,000 or so words of this story was written in one day a couple years back. I had gotten bored of working on my long-standing work in progress (I've been writing it for, like, eight years), so I decided to start something new and...this happened. I have not been able to add to this since then, so I figured I'd might as well post it as is. I really wanted to write the scene where Axel and Sora meet but I guess it isn't meant to be. So while this IS listed as complete, there's still an extremely small chance that I'll add more to this one day. We can only hope.
> 
> P.S. The title is stolen shamelessly from the Goo Goo Dolls because I couldn't think of anything else to call this blasted thing.

_Let Love In_

Roxas sighed as he walked into work while still pulling on his lab coat. They were supposed to be getting a new technician today—one that was actually certified, much to the pharmacist's excitement—and he had decidedly mixed feelings about it. On one hand, they had been short-staffed since the last tech had disappeared without warning a month ago, and they really needed more help...but, on the other hand, most technicians he'd had the (dis)pleasure of working with were either overconfident and lazy, or hard-working and incompetent. Part of him honestly believed they would have been better off just leaving things as they were, despite the extra work this necessitated. This was especially true today, because he'd been out with his brother all night at the new club near their apartment and knew he wouldn't have the patience to train anybody and listen to their dumb questions all day.

The Ethers he was now clutching were a testament to just how much the night had been worth it. 

He had popped one of them open at the counter, ignoring Olette's disapproving pouty frown with ease, and he was finishing it as he reached blindly for the handle on the other side of the pharmacy's half-door. 

"Have a good night?" Xigbar asked dryly as Roxas threw the empty can into the recycling bin. 

"You could say that," Roxas replied just as dryly, popping the other Ether open as he walked over to an empty computer. 

"There's like a dozen things to input," Demyx announced off-handedly as he rushed by Roxas with at least five bottles of some medication—baclofen, judging by the shape and size—in his hands. 

"I'm on it," Roxas assured him, logging on with one hand as he downed a quarter of his drink. He squinted at the image on the screen, tilting his head to the side to help him decipher the doctor's handwriting. "When's the new guy coming in?" he asked his boss as his fingers flew over the keys. 

"A few minutes, I guess," Xigbar responded. "If you didn't have this annoying habit of being ten minutes early every day, you'd probably have run into him while you were giving that can tongue." 

Roxas rolled his eyes, but shrugged off the comment. He'd known the man way too long to let anything he said affect him any more. Glaring at the next prescription image that appeared on the screen, he tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the energy drinks to kick in well enough that the scribble would form itself into something readable. Ten minutes later, as he'd finally gotten through most of the nearly illegible prescriptions, he was in the middle of downing the rest of his drink when he heard the door creak open. 

"Yo, Xigbar!" a new voice said as the person walked in. Roxas didn't pay attention as Xigbar responded, focused as he was on getting the last stubborn drops out of the can. Once that was done, he finally spun slowly around, his default scowl settling naturally onto his face...and froze as his heart skipped a beat—literally skipped a beat!—because, frankly, god _damn_. The guy that had entered the pharmacy had wild red hair, interesting facial tattoos, several ear piercings, and, well, honestly, Roxas hadn't seen anything that attractive in a _really_ long time. 

"...And this is Roxas," Xigbar's voice finally filtered into Roxas' ears, and he automatically held out a hand to shake. The man took it firmly, eyes twinkling as Roxas rather belatedly tightened his own grip and participated properly in the greeting. "Axel's skills come highly recommended, Roxas, so watch out he doesn't steal your job!" 

"Vexen was rather less fond of my personality, I'm sorry to say," the man added, not looking the slightest bit like he meant it. Then he downright smoldered at Roxas, and followed up with: "But I have a feeling that we'll all get along much better here, won't we?" 

Roxas was beyond smitten. In fact, if he wasn't such a die-hard cynic, he would even term what he was feeling to be 'love at first sight'. But he wasn't that romantic (he reminded himself firmly), and he swiftly pulled himself together before smiling sweetly at Axel. 

"We'll see about that," he said simply, which wasn't exactly witty, but we've mentioned the god _damn_ already. So he bit his lip and turned back to focus on the pile of inputs. 

"Stop being an ass and show him the system, kiddo," Xigbar chuckled, swatting him upside the head. Roxas scowled, but obligingly stepped away from the computer. Axel stepped into the empty spot, and pulled a thin pair of wire-frame glasses out of his pocket. Roxas' jaw almost dropped when he realized that, against all logic, the man looked even better with them on. Axel smoldered at him again, the look not diminished in the slightest despite the thin glass over his eyes, and Roxas took a deep breath before stepping closer to him and starting to explain the system in a voice that, he was proud to say, didn't shake in the slightest. 

@-`---

Hours later, as the day was finally ending, Roxas found himself slumped over the front counter again. This time he had a single Potion in his hand, and it was being rung up, once again, by Olette. She clearly wanted to berate him for staying up on a work night, but he was on the phone with Sora and she didn't want to interrupt. 

"Hey, Roxas!" Demyx called, walking up to him with his coat slipping negligently off his shoulder. Roxas raised a questioning eyebrow at his coworker, only half-listening to Sora babble on and on and _on_ about his girlfriend, and waited. "You coming out tonight?" 

"I don't think so," Roxas responded, thinking fondly of his bed and the video game he'd just bought the other day. "I'm pretty exhausted from last night still." 

"Aw, c'mon," Demyx whined, giving Roxas his patented kicked puppy look. "You know I hate sitting there alone with Xigbar and Zexion! I mean, I'll have Axel tonight 'cause this is his welcoming party thing, but it won't be the same!" 

Roxas debated with himself for a few moments—he knew what he _really_ needed was some sleep, but, if he was honest with himself, he wanted to spend some time getting to know Axel outside of work. The man was surprisingly business-like throughout the day. Well, he'd joked around with them at work as if he'd known them all for years, but that wasn't the same thing as knowing someone, really. Personalities were different at work, as he'd found out the hard way a few times too many. 

"...Okay," he finally consented, "but if you start whining like you always do, just remember that I meant what I said last time, okay?" 

"I'll be good!" Demyx promised, the kicked puppy look fading into a shit-eating grin without warning. "Meet you at The Usual Spot in a few?" 

"Yeah," Roxas replied, and then tuned back in to Sora. He was apparently in the middle of a story that Roxas was sure he recognized, and he cut his brother off with a sigh. "Hey, I'm going out with the guys tonight," he said, and could practically hear Sora's pout at that. He probably wanted to take Roxas out to the club again. "Look, we got this new guy at work, and we're going out for a welcoming kinda thing, alright? I have to go. I'll talk to you when I get home." 

"Fiiiine," Sora sighed overdramatically, and Roxas felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. Sora was giving him a hard time, but Roxas knew his brother was actually delighted that he was going out without him. Dense as the man could be, he'd picked up on the fact that Roxas hadn't invited him along this time. "I'll just sit here _alone_ in our apartment, with nothing but Jiminy for company." 

"Jiminy is very good company, I'll have you know," Roxas said haughtily, waving at Olette as he walked out of the store with his can in hand. "Have you ever noticed that he follows you around? If you put your finger up to the bowl and move it around, he'll chase it. That should entertain you for _hours_."

"Oh, go flirt with your new coworker, wiseass," Sora laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, since you'll probably end up crashing at Demyx' again." 

"Well, if the idiot would just stop getting drunk," Roxas sighed, rolling his eyes as he tried to juggle things around enough to fish his keys out of his cargo pants. "I'm getting in the car now, so, uh, later?" 

"Later," Sora replied lazily, and the phone went silent. After shoving his own into his pocket, Roxas unlocked his car and fell into the seat. He chugged his entire Potion before he even started the car, and then he was on his way. 

@-`---

The Usual Spot was named so because it was just that—the usual spot. When he walked in the door, the jumble of voices hit him like a physical blow, and the few people sitting at the nearby tables turned and greeted him. Most of the people in the bar knew each other by face, if not necessarily by name, because most of them were there on an almost regular basis. Tonight was especially packed, as a lot of the people who came by once a month had decided to congregate, and he had to weave his way through entirely too many crowded tables before he found the one he was looking for. 

"Yo, Roxas!" Axel called, leaning against the back of the booth. Roxas raised his eyebrows as he realized this, as Xigbar and Zexion usually took up that side of the table—but, this time, those two were in chairs facing away from him. Demyx was at his usual spot at the end of the table, sitting on a spinning stool that he'd somehow procured from the bar like always. With no other choice, he hesitantly slid into the booth beside Axel and eyed the assorted drinks curiously. There was one more than there should've been, and it definitely wasn't his usual glass of ginger ale. 

"What's this?" he asked suspiciously, poking at it with a bad feeling that it was meant for him. He didn't usually drink when he went out after work, especially knowing that he would have to take Demyx home. And even when he did drink, he usually just had whatever was cheapest. 

"I was informed that you usually just have a ginger ale when you guys go out," Axel said, the amusement clear in his voice, and Roxas turned to him curiously. "I figured, since it's my welcoming party and all, you had to have something with alcohol in it tonight. Take it you're not much of a drinker?" 

"Not really," Roxas replied, picking the drink up and eyeing the red liquid uncertainly. He could feel Axel's eyes on him and, not really wanting to waste the man's money, decided to brave a sip of it. "It's good," he said appreciatively, bringing it in for another sip. "What's it called?" 

"Redheaded Slut Mojito," Axel supplied in a deadpan voice, and Roxas quite nearly spit out the drink. As it was, he just barely managed to swallow it with a wince. When he finally recovered and turned to the man with barely-concealed surprise, he found that he was being smoldered at again and, man, this had been a terrible idea. "Not entirely accurate, mind you, but I'm willing to make an exception," the redhead added in a voice that made shivers run down Roxas' spine. Terrible, wonderful idea. 

"Dude, have you ever heard of subtlety?" Demyx asked, laughing. Axel grinned at Demyx briefly, casually raising his own vicious green drink to his lips. "I mean, seriously, you might as well be asking him if he just wants to go to your house and fuck!" 

"For the record," Roxas chimed in, feeling a blush heat up his cheeks and hating the fact that he couldn't hide it, "I don't usually have sex with people I've just met." 

"Usually, eh?" Axel asked, leering at him, and Roxas' blush deepened. He didn't say anything else, instead just turning back to his drink, but he did notice Axel sliding just the slightest bit closer to him. "And how often does this 'usually' clause get broken?" 

"Well," Roxas said slowly, swirling his drink around in his glass. "It hasn't yet, actually." Then, figuring he was going to need it, he downed his drink in two huge gulps. 

"This is like a movie," Demyx said wistfully, and Roxas watched as the other's eyes flashed over to where Xigbar and Zexion were, as usual, deep in a conversation and paying absolutely no attention to them. "Why don't I ever get movies?" 

"I swear, Demyx, if you start—"

"I know!" Demyx said, holding his hands up defensively and then sliding off his seat. "I'm gonna go get another round. You guys want anything?" 

"Get me another one of these," Roxas said, lifting the glass as if Demyx actually needed the visual. "How strong is that drink, anyway?" 

"Not too strong," Axel said, and then turned to Demyx with a grin. "Tequila shot and, oh, something with vodka in it." 

"Like what?" Demyx asked warily, and then laughed again as Axel shrugged. "Sure, I'll tell the bartender just that. Bet whatever it is, it knocks you on your ass." 

"Hey, I can hold my own!" Axel called after Demyx as the blond walked away. "Just because I'm stick-thin doesn't mean I'm a lightweight!" 

Roxas snorted and popped his strawberry garnish into his mouth. He could feel Axel's eyes on him again, and he tried his best to ignore it as a tense silence fell between them. 

"Soooo," Axel began slowly, drawing out the 'o' until Roxas winced. "What do you, uh, do for fun?" When Roxas gave him a surprised look at the question, he gave an uncertain grin and shrugged. "What, I can't be interested in you outside of sex too?" 

"Sorry," Roxas replied with a nervous chuckle. "You just caught me off guard. Mostly I play video games, honestly. Hit the museums in the city, write, skateboard, clubbing with my brother. Nothing spectacular." 

"Oh, you write?" Axel asked, his eyes lighting up like he'd just gotten a gift. "Fanfiction or originals?" 

"Fic, mostly," Roxas admitted before he had the sense to lie. Then he winced and added: "Well, I mean, I write originals too. I just...prefer fanfiction?" 

"Me too," Axel said cheerfully, and Roxas noted with amusement that he was practically vibrating with excitement. "What do you write? Besides gay porn, obviously, you don't even need to tell me that." 

"I don't write porn!" Roxas laughed, shaking his head. "I don't really do pairings, to be honest. I, uh, really like to focus on plot. I write AUs, mostly; everything from high fantasy to westerns. What about you?" 

"Oh, a bit of everything. The other day, I wrote this great horror story, but I'm going to start a romance next...." 

"Oooh, is it gonna be a harlequin?" Demyx interrupted, and Roxas jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice. When his drink was set in front of him, he stared at it for a long moment without comprehension, and then mentally laughed at himself and took a sip of it. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Axel throw back the shot like a pro, and then immediately start in on whatever else it was he was drinking. "I vote somebody's getting forced into a marriage with someone they've never met before, and the spouse ends up being fucking gorgeous." 

"Wow, Demyx, you totally read my mind," Axel said dryly, placing his glass back on the table and running a long-fingered hand through his hair. "I'll have you know I'm writing an epic high-fantasy adventure! Stalwart knight Benton Fraser is off to save a helpless damsel from the legendary dragon, who happens to be a shape-shifting Kowalski." 

"You write Due South?" Roxas asked, disbelief coloring his voice. That was just about the last fandom he'd expect the man to be in. "I wasn't expecting that at all. Figured you'd be into something a little more, ah, mainstream." 

"There's too much shit in the big fandoms," Axel pointed out, "and not enough competition. I want to be challenged, you know? To be forced to try and do something bigger and better than anyone else." 

"Yeah, I understand that...I write Good Omens." 

"Good Omens in the wild west?" Axel asked, grinning so wide it hurt Roxas' face just to look at it. "That's just about the best thing I've ever heard." 

"It's an...ongoing project," Roxas admitted, scratching at the back of his head awkwardly. "For a couple years now, actually. I've got Crowley being some legendary outlaw, and Aziraphale is the sheriff trying to catch him, but...I don't know. For some reason, I can't get it to stay focused on the plot." 

"They keep trying to shack up, don't they?" Axel asked with a knowing grin, and Roxas just nodded. "You should just let it go where it wants," Axel advised, leaning forward. "You might surprise yourself with what you can do." 

"I'm not really good with romantic scenes," Roxas said shortly, turning away from Axel suddenly. He could feel the man's surprise for a long moment, and then he felt warm fingers trailing down the back of his neck. He turned to Axel, about to tell him to stop, and froze at the sight of the redhead smoldering down at him again. 

"Maybe you just need more practice with it," Axel suggested, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips as he moved closer, and Roxas' heart skipped a beat for the second time that day as a pair of soft lips touched against his own. The kiss was brief and surprisingly innocent, nothing at all like Roxas was used to, but for some reason his lips still tingled as Axel pulled away. Axel grinned at him again, trailing his fingers down Roxas' back until his hand rested itself comfortably on the blond's waist. 

"Oh. Uh," Roxas said, and then winced at the intelligence of it. But he couldn't really think of anything to say—Axel was giving him mixed signals about what he wanted, and Roxas couldn't tell if this was just about sex or an honest-to-god boyfriend. He wasn't sure which one scared him more. He didn't date any more, not since what had happened the last time with Seifer. Axel was still grinning at him, though it seemed a little weaker now, and Roxas rubbed at an eye with his palm. "I'm, uh, not really looking for...well, I mean, I've been kind of avoiding relationships for a while." 

"Well, you should stop avoiding them," Demyx' voice broke in, and Roxas turned to give him a dirty look. "What? You're not still pining over Seifer, are you?" 

"I was never pining over him!" Roxas protested, crossing his arms and scowling. 

"Yes, you were!" Demyx insisted unkindly, pouting in return. "You moped around the pharmacy for months! Xigbar was about ready to—"

"To what?" Roxas asked curiously before he noticed Demyx' dark look. His jaw almost dropped as he realized just what offer Xigbar could make that would cause Demyx to look like he wanted to kill Roxas. "You can't be serious!" 

"I am!" Demyx insisted, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation, and then taking a few large gulps of his drink. "I swear it's like he doesn't even notice that I'm around sometimes! He wanted to know if you're interested, but he's never even looked twice at me, has he?" 

"You've got the hots for _Xigbar_?" Axel interrupted as Demyx took in a deep breath to continue his rant. He sounded so completely surprised by this, Roxas found himself unable to stifle what could only be termed as a giggle. "Dude, he's your boss! And he's got gray hair and that eyepatch and—"

"He has an attractive face, damnit!" Demyx snapped. "And he's younger than he looks, so the gray hair and patch just make him interesting _and_ did you _notice_ what he's dating? Zexion is so...so..." 

"He has like no facial expressions," Roxas interrupted, poking his drink in Demyx' direction. "I think I've seen two on his face so far, and we've known him for how long? Seriously, Demyx, just shut up about them already, or do something about it!" 

"Like you're one to talk," Demyx pouted, slumping down in his seat. "You were practically drooling when Axel walked in, you know, and if he'd been more subtle you would have just pined over him for ages and ages like you always do. Anyway, it's not like you're actually going to—"

"You know what?" Roxas asked calmly, setting his glass down on the table and sliding out from the booth. "I'm going to go say something to him right now." 

"No!" Demyx gasped, flailing as he almost slid off his stool. "Don't you dare!" 

"Go, Roxas, go!" Axel cheered, slipping from the booth himself and grabbing hold of Demyx to keep him still. "I have _got_ to see what happens. You are so screwed, Demyx." 

"Roxaaaas!" Demyx whined, struggling in Axel's grip but not able to pull himself away. "Don't go! I'll be quiet!" 

"Too late!" Roxas called back over his shoulder, and Xigbar and Zexion looked up from their conversation as they heard him approach. Roxas stopped beside them, eyeing them uncertainly—he could see, sort of, how Xigbar might have once been attractive, and Zexion was certainly nice-looking underneath the layer of hair and permanent emotionless expression. 

"'Sup, Rox?" Xigbar asked, his single eyebrow raised in interest. 

"First of all," Roxas said slowly, "I want you to know that I'm utterly horrified at the idea of having sex with the two of you, so I'm _really_ glad you didn't suggest that after Seifer and I broke up." Xigbar chuckled quietly, and Roxas thought he saw a smirk tug briefly at Zexion's lips. "Secondly, Demyx has been wanting to get into your pants for ages now, so can you please go tell him something to shut him the hell up?" 

"...Demyx is interested?" Zexion asked in a quiet, thoughtful voice. "I didn't think he would be. He seems so...innocent." 

"Never got any signs," Xigbar agreed, eyeing Roxas in a suspicious sort of way. "You do realize if you're fucking with us, I have the right to fire you for no reason. Right?" 

"And that's why I'm not fucking with you," Roxas replied shortly. "Or just plain fucking you, never mind just how unappealing the thought is. No offense." 

"As long as you're being honest, kid, you're cool," Xigbar laughed, getting up and stretching. Roxas trailed silently after him, and then slid back into the booth beside Axel to watch the show. 

"Hi, Xigbar," Demyx said in a squeaky voice, staring wide-eyed at his boss. Xigbar stared at him for a long moment, clearly looking him up and down, and then pulled Demyx off his barstool without warning. 

"So," Xigbar said with a leer, "I hear you'd be interested in coming home with me tonight." He pulled Demyx closer until their noses were nearly touching, and Roxas watched as Demyx put one uncertain hand on Xigbar's waist, and propped himself up using the table with the other. "We could leave now, if you want." 

"I, uh, well," Demyx started uncertainly, seeming unable to form a real sentence. "Yes?" 

"Finish your drink," Xigbar murmured, patting Demyx's butt and grinning when the blond squeaked. "We'll meet you at my car, okay?" He gently pushed Demyx back into his seat, giving the blond one final leer, and then turned back to Zexion, who was standing by their seats with Xigbar's coat in his hand. 

"Oh my god," Demyx murmured faintly, looking as if he didn't quite know what to do with himself. "Oh my _god_." 

"You okay, Dem?" Axel asked with concern, leaning over the table. Demyx stared at him for a long moment, and then suddenly let out the most unmanly scream Roxas had ever heard before launching himself at the smaller blond. 

"You are the best friend I've ever had!" Demyx gushed excitedly as he tried to squeeze the air out of Roxas' lungs. "I totally owe you a huge favor but that's going to have to wait for another day because I have to leave!" 

"Don't leave any of your drink," Axel snickered, pushing Demyx's glass over to him. Demyx's smile faded just long enough for him to swallow his drink, and then he was beaming at the air again as he shrugged his own coat on. 

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, guys!" he said, stepping jauntily toward the exit. 

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?" Roxas called after him, and it was a good thing he hadn't expected an answer, because Demyx already seemed lost in his own world, humming as he practically danced out the door. 

"I can't believe you did that," Axel murmured after a couple minutes, and Roxas just shrugged before turning back to his drink. 

"He whines about it every damn time we go out," Roxas muttered, a little defensively. "Do you have any idea how annoying that gets after a year? And, yes, it has been an entire year since he realized he wanted to get in their bed. How Xigbar missed it is entirely beyond me." 

"So, that had absolutely nothing to do with wanting to spend some time alone with me?" Axel asked teasingly, grin widening when Roxas shot him a dirty look. "Well, I'm almost hurt! And here I was going to invite you back to my apartment. Don't think I'm going to now." 

"I told you I don't have sex with people I've just met." 

"Ah, but you said 'usually' and 'haven't yet'! Either you're actually interested, or you're just a terrible person and want to lead me on." 

"Well, I'm definitely not one to lead someone on," Roxas said softly, blushing immediately afterwards and trying to hide it by putting his face in his hand. "Uh, I mean—"

"You mean you're very interested," Axel purred, sliding closer and pulling Roxas' hand from his face. Roxas glared up at him for a short moment, but it faded into a surprised look as Axel cupped his face in a single hand. 

The kiss Roxas was treated to this time was deep and slow, and Roxas lost himself to it easily. He pressed closer to Axel, curling uncertain fingers around one of the redhead's knees, and almost whimpered when Axel pulled away. Axel smoldered at him again, this time with a smile gracing his face, and for a long moment the two just stared at each other. Then Roxas found himself moving forward, surprising himself with his bravery as he practically climbed into the man's lap and pushed him against the back of the booth. Axel seemed content to practically melt underneath him, only going so far as to put his free hand on Roxas' back, slipping warm fingertips underneath his shirt. Roxas, on the other hand, had one hand clutching the back of Axel's neck, and the other was sliding up Axel's leg almost like it had a mind of his own. Once his hand had slipped under Axel's shirt, caressing his surprisingly muscular stomach, he straddled the man easily. Axel wrapped an arm firmly around Roxas' waist and pulled him closer, tugging lightly at Roxas' hair with his other hand. Roxas couldn't help the soft whimper when the man pulled slowly away, and tugged at his shoulder to pull him back in. He opened his eyes unhappily when the redhead refused to cooperate, giving him the best glare he could under the circumstances. 

"We should take this somewhere else," Axel whispered to him, his green eyes intensely dark. "You have no idea what I want to do to you." 

"I've got a bit of one," Roxas whispered back, grinning. "I guess we should get out of here before we're kicked out." He slid himself slowly off Axel's lap, trying not to blush as the man eyed him hungrily. Axel pulled out his wallet and threw a few bills on the table as Roxas shrugged his own coat on, and then they quickly walked out of the bar together. 

"My car," Axel said shortly, pointing at one in the distance. Roxas nodded and followed him through the parking lot, and by the time they finally got to the car, he was starting to feel nervous. He had half a mind to back out, but then Axel turned and gave him one of those smoldering looks again, grabbing hold of him to push him up against the side of the car. Roxas let Axel take the lead this time, wrapping both arms around the man's neck and legs around his waist when Axel lifted him up with a surprising ease. "I guess now's a good time to admit that I was having trouble keeping my hands off you all day," Axel whispered into his ear, rocking gently against him. Roxas couldn't do much besides whimper, tightening his grip as Axel's hands squeezed his butt—and then his phone started ringing. 

"Shit," Roxas gasped, trying without any real strength to push Axel away as the man started kissing a trail down his jaw. "Axel, please—"

"Ignore it," Axel interrupted throatily, giving another squeeze. 

"Can't," Roxas gasped, pushing harder this time. "It's my brother, he'll just keep calling." 

"Fine," Axel grumbled, lowering him back to the ground just as Roxas' phone stopped ringing. Roxas had to hold on to Axel for a moment until his legs stopped shaking, and then he walked around to the other side of the car while pulling his phone out. It started ringing again just as Roxas slid into the seat. 

"Hey," Roxas greeted, slapping at Axel's hand as the man reached over to rub his leg. "Look, I'm, uh, not coming home tonight, alright?" 

"Oh, _really_?" Sora asked, the suggestive leer in his voice making Roxas wince—it sounded horrifically wrong coming from him. "And when are you bringing him home to meet me?" 

"Sora!" Roxas hissed. 

"What?" Sora asked innocently. "I can't be worried about my baby brother?" 

"Five minutes does _not_ make me your baby brother," Roxas snarled at him, glaring at Axel when the man snickered. "And, no, you can't be worried about me. I'm not—this isn't like before, okay? It's the new guy at work." 

"Your new coworker?" Sora asked quietly, clearly concerned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, you just met the guy today." 

"Yeah, I know," Roxas murmured, glancing over at Axel for a brief moment before turning back to the front and smiling. "But, well, it doesn't seem wrong for some reason. I'll, uh, tell you about it later, okay?" 

"Sure," Sora said, and Roxas could practically hear his smile. "I guess I'll see you after work tomorrow. Don't stay up too late! You know you have work in the morning again." 

"Like you didn't drag me out until three in the morning last night yourself," Roxas laughed. "Talk to you later." 

"See ya." 

"You and your brother are close?" Axel asked a moment after Roxas' phone had snapped shut. "Mine too. I live with mine, but you won't have to worry about seeing him tonight. He works the overnight security shift at ShinRa." 

"The morning's going to be awkward, isn't it?" Roxas asked warily, finally starting to wonder if maybe he shouldn't be going home with Axel tonight. "I'm not good with family members." 

"Reno's pretty laid-back," Axel assured him quietly, reaching over and giving Roxas' knee a squeeze without taking his eyes off the road. "He might annoy the hell out of you, but as long as it's clear that you don't mean to do anything to hurt me, he'll just treat you like any of his own friends." 

"Oh, good," Roxas sighed. He put a hand on Axel's hand to stop him as the man started sliding fingers up his thigh, and glared at the grin on Axel's face. "Pay attention to your driving!" 

"I am paying attention," Axel said innocently, shaking off Roxas' hand and putting it higher up on Roxas' leg. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent multitasker. And I have to make sure you don't suddenly get disinterested on me." 

"That's not very likely," Roxas snapped, grabbing at Axel's hand again and trying to push it away from his crotch. Axel was a little stronger than him, unfortunately, and starting to rub circles in his inner thigh, hand brushing against him in a very distracting way as he did so. "Axel, this is making me really--"

"Turned on?" Axel snickered, briefly pressing against Roxas' crotch, and looking smug when Roxas sucked in a breath at the touch. He was definitely liking what Axel was doing, even if it was barely anything, but he didn't like the thought that Axel wasn't paying complete attention to the road in front of him. "The nice thing about men is that they can't deny when they're getting turned on, no matter how hard they try." 

"Axel—" Roxas said warningly, but cut himself off when he realized they were pulling into an apartment complex's parking lot. Axel swiftly parked with one hand, backing up into his space with an ease that Roxas envied (he had to admit that he wasn't, exactly, all that good of a driver), and as soon as the car turned off, he opened his door and slid out of the car. Axel turned to grin briefly at him before sedately following his lead, whistling as he walked up to his front door. Roxas eyed the doormat uncertainly. "Beware of cat?" he asked. 

"It's kind of a joke," Axel assured him, sticking his key in the lock. He had to jiggle the door a little to get it to open, but then they were stepping inside of a surprisingly clean living room. "Hey, Killer," he said in a soft voice, lifting a fluffy black cat from the top of the television, where it had been sleeping. "Come meet Roxas." 

"You named the cat Killer?" Roxas asked, smirking, and scritched it behind the ears. The cat purred loudly at him, lazily reaching out a paw to swipe at his arm. 

"It's Reno's cat, not mine," Axel said defensively, giving the cat a kiss on the head and then dropping it back on top of the TV. The cat stretched and yawned, then turned in a circle and covered its face with a paw as it laid back down. "Now then, where were we?" 

"I think you were trying to get us into an accident, but you can't do that now," Roxas teased him, not resisting this time when Axel ran his hands up the outsides of his thighs and under his shirt before pulling him close. Standing like this, Roxas suddenly realized just how much taller than him Axel was...and was surprised by how okay he felt with the difference. 

"No, I was trying to make you ready for getting jumped when we got inside," Axel purred at him, leaning down and kissing him gently. When Roxas moved to deepen the kiss, wrapping one arm around the man's neck and sliding the fingers of his other hand into the top of the man's pants, Axel growled and lifted him up before shoving him into the wall. Roxas gasped from the pain where his shoulders had hit the wall a little too hard, but quickly melted into the kiss. Axel, he was discovering, was intensely focused on making Roxas enjoy himself, kissing him with the perfect amount of pressure and grinding their crotches together. Roxas barely noticed when Axel removed his shirt, only aware of the needy noise that slipped out of his own mouth and the hiss of the cat as the shirt landed on it. 

"Bedroom?" he requested breathlessly, and couldn't hold back a whimper when Axel sucked gently at the side of his neck. "Now?" he prodded when Axel made no effort to move. 

Axel growled again, and then shifted Roxas in his arms. Roxas whimpered again when he realized Axel was going to carry him into the room, and tugged blindly at the man's shirt as the other initiated another kiss. Axel stumbled into a wall just long enough to keep Roxas held up as he removed his own shirt. Roxas watched him fling it away, and then focused on the man's chest and marveled at the sight of his own hands sliding across it. Then they were moving again, stumbling blindly into another room. 

"Kick the door closed," he muttered, and Roxas found it with his foot. As soon as they heard the slam, Axel was moving forward again, and Roxas was practically thrown onto the bed. He lifted himself up on his elbows, watching hungrily as Axel grinned at him and swiftly undid his own pants, stepping out of them and leaning over the foot of the bed to tug at Roxas' pants. "You like blowjobs?" he asked quietly. 

"What guy doesn't?" Roxas asked, belatedly trying to kick off his shoes. Axel didn't let him get that far, falling to his knees as he slid Roxas' pants down. 

"Good," Axel said throatily, catching his eyes for a brief moment, before looking back down at Roxas' prick. He licked his lips, looking hungrily at it, and said. "Because I love giving them." 

"Oh!" Roxas gasped, scrabbling frantically at Axel's shoulders as the man swallowed him whole without warning. This was probably the hottest thing Roxas had ever seen, or even participated in, and he wanted to keep watching, but Axel hummed around his mouthful and his eyes slid closed of their own accord. His hips jerked forward against his permission, and he whimpered again as Axel easily moved with it. Knowing he wasn't going to last long (or form anything resembling a word), he tugged at Axel's hair to warn him of his already forming orgasm. Instead of moving away, as Roxas had intended, Axel hummed again, and then sucked and Roxas yelled incoherently as his hips snapped forward again and he emptied himself into Axel's mouth. Once done, he fell onto his back, dazed and panting. 

"You're fantastically responsive," Axel husked to him. Roxas grunted, too winded to say anything as Axel climbed up onto the bed and casually straddled him. Roxas eyed him hungrily, taking note of his surprisingly broad shoulders and muscular chest. As his eyes slid downwards, Axel lazily started stroking himself. "Like what you see?" 

"You have no idea," Roxas murmured, propping himself up on one elbow. Part of him wanted to reach out and jerk Axel off himself, but most of him was too busy enjoying the view to do anything that would cause Axel to stop touching himself. Axel grinned at him, clearly enjoying being watched, but kept moving his hand at the same painfully slow speed. "You're the most amazing thing I've seen in years." 

"Am I?" Axel asked, his voice so intense Roxas felt his heart skip a beat again. "You did look a little shell-shocked when you turned around." He groaned softly, speeding up his hand, and Roxas glanced up just long enough to notice that Axel was staring at him with such obvious desire that the blond had to bite his lip before switching his gaze back to Axel's hand. "You know what I thought when I saw you?" Roxas shook his head silently, not trusting his voice at the moment. "I thought that working with you was going to be hell if I wasn't able to touch you." 

"Axel," Roxas whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. Axel groaned deep in his throat again, hand moving even faster, and Roxas found himself sitting up, reaching out a shaking hand to wrap his fingers around Axel's prick as well. Axel gasped, and Roxas looked up to see the man staring through barely-opened eyes at their hands, then smirked. "Axel," he said again, voice intense, feeling his heart trying to beat out of his chest as the man made a soft keening noise. "I want to see you cum." And two hard strokes later, he did just that with a strangled shout. Roxas stroked him through the orgasm even after Axel's hand had loosened its grip, and couldn't help the grin as Axel finally slumped, sitting heavily on Roxas thighs and panting. 

Roxas fell back to the bed, arching up a little to crack his back and relieve the pain from the uncomfortable position he'd settled himself in, and stared his fill at Axel as the man recovered himself. A few moments later, Axel's eyes opened, and a lazy smile spread across his face as he leaned over Roxas, reaching to the side to grab a box of tissues off his bedstand. They cleaned up in a relaxed silence, throwing the dirtied tissues in the general direction of the trashcan by Axel's desk, and Roxas finally managed to kick off his shoes. After a moment's consideration, the pants followed. 

"That was awesome," Axel said softly, pulling him into a gentle kiss. Roxas just hummed in agreement, feeling suddenly lazy, and rubbed his hand up and down Axel's leg. "We should probably try to get some sleep for work tomorrow." 

"Oh yeah," Roxas murmured, suddenly remembering, and kissed Axel again. He didn't really want to go to sleep, if he was honest with himself. He didn't think he was entirely sated. "Need to get up early enough to get my car and a change of clothes," he added uncertainly, blushing as he finally realized that he was going to end up literally sleeping with Axel. "Wish I had a toothbrush. My mouth is going to taste horrible in the morning." 

"Well, I just won't brush my teeth tonight so I won't notice when I kiss you awake," Axel said teasingly, but when Roxas looked him in the eye, he knew the man was being serious. "As gross as that's going to be, it's definitely worth the sacrifice." He slid from the bed and stretched as he said that, pushing at the sheets. "Go on, get under them." 

Roxas did as he was told, with jerky, uncertain movements, and then watched as Axel climbed back into the bed as well. The redhead grabbed the blanket and lifted it over them, staring at Roxas, who was laying on his side and watching. Once they were appropriately covered, the man moved closer a little awkwardly and put a hand on Roxas' waist. Roxas shifted uneasily. 

"Don't like to cuddle?" Axel asked, his voice a little subdued. Roxas glanced at his eyes, blushing, and shrugged uncomfortably. 

"My last boyfriend and I didn't exactly cuddle," Roxas admitted in a soft voice. "And before that I'd never spent the night with someone. I don't really know—"

"I don't know who this Seifer everyone's been mentioning is..." Axel said lightly, throwing a leg over Roxas' and rubbing the blond's back. Roxas stared at Axel's chest, sliding one arm under Axel's pillow and resting his head on it, and draping the other one uncertainly over Axel's side. Axel pulled him closer, wrapping himself firmly around Roxas' body, and Roxas was surprised by just how comfortable and secure he felt in the man's arms. He rested his hand at the bottom of Axel's back and sighed comfortably. "But if I ever meet him, I think I'm going to beat the hell out of him." 

"I don't think he was ever being deliberately cruel," Roxas told Axel's chest, curling up on himself a little and closing his eyes. "He was just an idiot." 

"He sure was if he couldn't even treat you right," Axel said intensely, burying his face in Roxas hair. "I can tell he broke your heart, Roxas. I'd have to be an idiot not to realize that. I know you don't want to hear this, but...Roxas, if we make anything out of this, I promise not to do the same." 

Roxas silently buried his face in Axel's chest and squeezed his eyes shut, doing his best not to think about it. Axel obviously realized that Roxas didn't want to discuss anything, as he just returned to rubbing his back and seemed content to just cuddle. Roxas sighed and leaned forward a little, clinging to the man and doing his best to think of nothing. It was a fairly long while before Axel's breathing evened out, signaling that the man was asleep. Once he was, though, Roxas moved his head from his chest, craning his neck back and looking at Axel's face. He looked amazingly peaceful in sleep, and almost innocent. He found himself wondering at the tattoos on Axel's face and moved his hand to trace them with his finger. There had to be an interesting story behind those, and he found himself wanting to know what that was...despite the fact that he was also aware gaining that knowledge would mean finally letting his guard down again. The very thought scared him, as a big part of him refused to believe that everything would turn out all right. 

Sighing again, he ducked his head back down, half shoving his face into the pillow, and focused on the rise and fall of Axel's chest until he finally fell asleep himself. 

@-`---

When Roxas woke up the next morning, he was surprised to find that Axel was still wrapped comfortably around him. He was obviously not asleep, though—the movements of his hand were too deliberate for that. 

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Axel purred, pushing him onto his back. Roxas rolled over easily, and then stretched and covered his mouth as he yawned in Axel's face. He stared sleepily at the man, and felt a soft smile move across his face that he couldn't stop. Axel smiled back at him as he ran a hand up the inside of Roxas' thigh. "We can probably stay in bed for another fifteen minutes before we absolutely have to get up." 

"What d'you have in mind for that time?" Roxas asked as innocently as he could, his smile widening as Axel leered down at him and wrapped his hand around Roxas' prick. "Mmm. Good idea." Axel chuckled and leaned in to kiss him, slowly stroking Roxas until the smaller man suddenly pushed him away. 

"Something wrong?" Axel asked quietly, though he didn't look as worried as he probably should have, probably since Roxas was still smiling. 

"Not going to get anything done in fifteen minutes at that speed," Roxas responded, sitting up and positioning Axel's pillows so he could comfortably lean against the wall. Axel watched him, looking a little bemused, and then chuckled as Roxas spread his legs invitingly. 

"I could get used to mornings like this," Axel murmured softly, laying on his stomach and smiling up at Roxas. "The only thing that could make this nicer is if we had all day to lay in bed." 

"...I'd like that," Roxas admitted softly, though he didn't look in Axel's eyes as he did. He wasn't entirely comfortable with admitting that, feeling like it was some sort of weakness. He hoped Axel realized that. 

"We'll have to try it some day, then," Axel said gently, smiling when Roxas finally looked down at him. Once he seemed satisfied with the attention he was receiving, he finally lowered his mouth around Roxas and Roxas let his head thunk back against the wall and closed his eyes. He rested one hand in Axel's hair and curled the other one into the bedsheets, putting all of his focus on the feel of being inside Axel's mouth. The man was astoundingly good at blowjobs, something for which Roxas was intensely grateful. Axel sucked him cheerfully, humming something tuneless as he did so, and Roxas groaned when he tried to move and Axel held him down. He usually hated being held down, but Axel even made that feel good, using the smallest amount of pressure needed to keep him still. It would be a nice change to leave the bedroom without the outline of someone's fingers pressed into his skin. 

Shying away from that thought, he opened his eyes to admire Axel again, and whimpered when he noticed that the man was rocking gently against the bed. Roxas felt his hips try to jerk of their own accord, whimpering when Axel pushed him down again, and tugged gently at Axel's hair. Axel's humming broke off for a long moan, and then he gave a sudden, hard suck, and Roxas shouted in surprise as he came. 

"I'm never going to get tired of this," Axel murmured, lifting himself from the bed so that he could kiss Roxas. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's neck and shoved forward suddenly, knocking the taller man backwards--Axel gasped into his mouth as he landed. His hips bucked when Roxas pressed down into him, but then Roxas moved away from him. Reveling in the unhappy noise Axel made, Roxas kissed his way down Axel's chest with the intention of giving Axel a blowjob of his own. Axel put a hand in Roxas' hair when he realized that, massaging his scalp gently. Roxas smiled before slowly licking his way up the underside of Axel's penis. He took the head into his mouth and then slowly lowered himself down, licking thoroughly as he went. Axel was moaning almost continuously, gently rocking himself in Roxas' mouth, and when Roxas had finally swallowed the whole thing, he gave a sharp suck that ripped a slight yell from Axel's mouth. 

"You're fucking fantastic at this," Axel gasped, and Roxas felt him shift as he fell onto his back. He looked up, approving of the view as Axel held himself up on his elbows and stared down at him while clearly fighting against the urge to close his eyes. Roxas moved back as slowly as he'd gone down, swirling his tongue in a circle around the head of Axel's penis in a way that made the man whimper, and ended that with another sharp suck. Axel didn't yell this time, though he did grunt in a way that made it obvious he was forcing himself not to, and Roxas finally decided to get things going. "Fuckfuckfuck," Axel was chanting as Roxas' head bobbed up and down as fast as Roxas could manage, stopping at key moments for sharp sucks that were clearly Axel's undoing, and it wasn't long before Axel was cumming in his mouth, and Roxas swallowed happily before pulling away. 

"Don't think I'll be getting tired of this either," he said softly, sitting up on Axel's knees. After a long moment, the redhead finally pushed himself from his prone position, and immediately pulled Roxas forward. Roxas was more than happy to have Axel's arms around him again, and he kissed the man firmly. "You better not go back on your promise," Roxas whispered to him, forcing himself to look into Axel's eyes. 

"You shouldn't even worry about that," Axel whispered back, cupping Roxas' face in both hands and swiping a thumb across Roxas' lips. "What you should be worried about is getting rid of me if you ever get sick of me. I cling like a leach." 

"I kind of figured that," Roxas chuckled. They stared at each other for a long moment, until they seemed to reach an unspoken agreement and they started sliding off the bed together. They found most of their clothes easily, though Axel had to pull a new shirt out of his closet, and then Roxas looked around the room thoughtfully. "Do you know where my shirt is?" 

"Pretty sure it landed on the cat last night," Axel said after a moment's thought. "C'mon. Let's go find out what she did with it, then I'll treat you to breakfast. Reno usually leaves something on the table for me." 

Axel grabbed Roxas' hand, twining their fingers together as he led the blond out toward the kitchen. Roxas stared at his back, not sure what to make of the move—he couldn't remember ever holding hands with Seifer, that was for sure. That relationship really had been terrible for him, something he'd only realized a long year after catching the man chasing some older guy around. 

"Oh, hey, Reno," Axel said suddenly, sounding quite surprised, and Roxas froze in place. Axel tugged at his hand, forcing him forward and into a seat across the table from a grumpy-looking man. Roxas looked him over curiously, taking note of the scars at the corners of each eye, and then looked over at Axel, who had fallen into another chair and was spearing pancakes off a plate in the middle of the table. They looked almost scarily similar—Reno's hair was slightly tamer, though bits were clearly breaking free from the ponytail the man had forced them into. "Didn't think you'd still be awake." 

"I was just about to fall asleep when you started screaming," the other man grumbled, poking a fork accusingly at Roxas. "I don't know what you were doing to him, and I don't ever want to find out, but next time fucking gag him or something." 

"Uh...sorry?" Roxas said uncertainly, watching as Axel casually started piling pancakes on Roxas' plate as well. 

"Don't worry about him, Rox," Axel said airily, opening a bottle of syrup and pouring it over his pancakes. "He's just grumpy because he's not getting any. Poor thing hasn't seen his boyfriend in aaages." 

"Shut the hell up, Axel," Reno snarled, stabbing viciously at his own pancakes. Roxas finally started pouring some syrup over his own food, and lifted the fork that had been set out for him. Another smile was creeping up onto his face. If this kept up, his cheeks were going to start getting sore. "If Rude doesn't get off these damn day shifts soon, I'm going to fucking kill something. I swear this is some sort of twisted punishment." 

"Rude is his partner at work," Axel informed Roxas, utterly ignoring his brother. Roxas nodded and stuck a piece of pancake in his mouth. "They've been together for, uh, how long now, Reno?" 

"About ten years, give or take," Reno grumped, stabbing at his plate again. 

"And they've been dating for about the same amount of time," Axel continued cheerfully. "Now their boss's daddy has found out about their 'unnatural relationship' and is very upset about it, so he forced them to be split apart. If only Rufus senior would get the hell out of town so I can get my brother back, and get rid of this crotchety old man." 

"You'd be crotchety too if you never saw your boyfriend," Reno interrupted pointedly, throwing a piece of pancake that had fallen to the table at Axel. "And speaking of boyfriends, who's this cute little thing you've brought home with you?" 

"Oh, right, this is Roxas," Axel said off-handedly, waving his hand in Roxas' direction. Roxas rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything as he quietly devoured the absolutely amazing pancakes he'd been given. "I met him yesterday, when I started my new job." 

"And you've already gotten him in bed?" Reno snarked, not even sounding surprised. "What'd you do, walk up to him and ask him if he'd like to fuck?" 

Roxas choked on a chunk of food as he started to laugh, and then said: "No, he was really subtle about it. He bought me a drink called a Redheaded Slut." 

"That's about as subtle as Axel gets, actually," Reno laughed, and Roxas was surprised at the sound of it. Strangely enough, Reno's laugh was the same as Axel's, and they even had the same unnerving smile. If he hadn't already been absolutely smitten with Axel, he would probably have found himself falling just as hard for Reno. "I remember, shit, years ago, when he first met Tifa—"

"Ugh, Reno, do you have to bring that up now?" Axel growled. 

"Tifa being three years his senior, mind you," Reno continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "his first words to her were 'your boobs are fantastic'. Which yeah, they _are_ , but you don't say that to someone you just met. Poor guy didn't know what fucking hit him—she knocked him off his feet, literally." 

"I was drunk!" Axel said darkly, glaring at Reno as if he wanted the older man to burst into flame. "Shit, I was beyond drunk. That was my twenty-first, remember?" 

"Oh, yeah, I remember," Reno snickered. "And I'm still surprised you remember anything that happened that night. Tifa must've knocked the alcohol right out of your system." 

"She does have a mean right hook," Axel said thoughtfully. "And a mean left hook, and a mean roundhouse kick...." 

"Martial arts," Reno clarified for Roxas, smiling at him. "I think she learned how to punch somebody before she even knew how to walk. And she's amazingly strong, not that you can tell by looking at her. She's like the perfect woman, I swear." 

"You still have that weird crush on her, don't you?" Axel grinned. "What's Rude think of this, hm?" 

"He feels the same way about her as I do!" Reno laughed. "Shit, I don't think I know anyone who hasn't gotten a crush on Tifa at some point or another." 

"There's got to be someone who didn't," Roxas said as he paused to take a sip out of a glass of juice that he had just noticed. "Like, you know, someone who doesn't swing for that gender?" 

"That hardly counts," Axel said, smirking. "I've had straight female friends who've admitted to having awkward crushes on her. It's pretty crazy." 

"I'll believe it when I see it," Roxas said uncertainly, returning his attention to his pancakes. "How long until you think we have to leave, Axel?" 

"It's about seven," Reno offered as Axel started turning in his chair to look at the clock hanging on the wall behind him. "Don't you have to be at work at nine?" 

"Shit, yeah," Axel sighed, pushing his almost empty plate away from himself. "I'll go find your shirt and coat, okay? Just come out to the living room when you're done." 

"'Kay," Roxas said agreeably, chewing contentedly. Once Axel left the room, a surprisingly comfortable silence fell between Reno and Roxas. Roxas finished his plate quietly, then stretched as he stood and turned to walk out of the kitchen. 

"Hey, Roxas," Reno spoke up suddenly, and Roxas stopped in his tracks. When Reno didn't continue, Roxas turned to face him, raising his eyebrows at the man curiously. Reno gave him a very serious look, and said matter-of-factly: "If you break his heart, I'll break your legs off. Thought you should know." 

Roxas blinked at him, taken aback, and scratched thoughtfully at the back of his head. "I'll, uh, do my best not to?" he offered uncertainly. Reno just nodded at him and returned to his pancakes, waving a hand negligently in parting. 

When Roxas walked into the living room a second later, the first thing he noticed was Axel staring at a corner with his hands on his hips. Roxas' coat was dangling from one hand. 

"Killer, seriously, get the hell off Roxas' shirt," Axel was saying as Roxas approached him. "He needs that to go home." 

"Why don't you just pick it up?" Roxas asked. 

"The bitch hissed at me!" 

"What's she going to do, scratch you?" Roxas snickered, moving toward the cat. He kneeled down and reached a hand out to it, smiling as it sniffed at his fingers and started purring. Moving forward carefully, he gently slid the fingers of his other hand underneath the cat's belly and slowly lifted her off his shirt before placing her to the side. She didn't stop purring through the entire process, and Roxas stood up with his shirt, sliding it over his head without saying anything. 

"Show-off," Axel muttered, dropping Roxas' coat on his head. Roxas snickered as he shrugged on his coat. He could hear Axel doing the same on the other side of the room, and the sound of keys jingling, and he walked over to the front door in preparation of leaving. 

"See you tomorrow, Reno!" Axel called over his shoulder before he closed the door behind him, Reno's response unintelligible, and the two of them walked to Axel's car in silence. Roxas patiently waited for the door to unlock, and then slid into his seat and closed his eyes. 

"I need to get more sleep," he muttered, making himself comfortable in his seat. "Although last night was entirely worth it." 

"It better have been," Axel grinned, though he kept his hands to himself this time. "So, uh, do you just want me to drop you off by your car? Or can I follow you home?" 

"Why do you want to follow me home?" Roxas asked curiously. "I'm not going to walk in asking Sora if I can keep you." 

"Well, you've met my big brother," Axel said a little awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head. "Figured it's my turn to meet the family. Your brother—Sora, wasn't it?—seemed interested in meeting me, at least." 

"He was just messing with me, really," Roxas laughed. "He's always trying to set me up with someone, and he's pretty thrilled that I finally seemed interested. Probably wants to make sure he approves of you, or something ridiculous like that." 

"Did he approve of Seifer?" Axel asked quietly. Roxas glanced over at him, surprised. "I told you, I'm beating that guy's ass up between his shoulder blades if I ever have the misfortune of meeting him." 

"You're way too protective of me already," Roxas said, crossing his arms. "I swear if you start telling me who I can and can't talk to, your ass is going to be the one that's displaced." 

"Sorry," Axel chuckled ruefully. "The whole thing just pisses me off, you know? Anyway, you never answered my question. Did Sora approve?" 

"Not really," Roxas sighed, absently toying with a hole he'd just noticed in his pants. "I mean, it wasn't that he hated Seifer or anything. The two of us just had a lot of bad history from when we were in high school. I thought we were both over it all, but...I don't know." 

"You still like him?" Axel asked in the same quiet voice as earlier. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, and Roxas couldn't help but smile at the thought that Axel might be jealous. 

"No," Roxas answered calmly, not even needing to think about it. He'd been over his love for Seifer for a while now, though the bad feelings the man had left behind wouldn't go away. "...You can follow me home, if you want. Sora's a really good judge of character. I'm sure he'll like you." 

"He better," Axel said a little darkly, "because even if he doesn't, I'm already at my clinging like a leach stage, and it's going to take a lot of abuse to get me away from you." 


End file.
